New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-01-19
Christmas liz San Diego, Cali
fOrNsiA.

fOrnits.
To one who has always lived in a
northern or middle latitude it is GER
tainly novel to be at Christmas time in q
Observation-Disclosures. One can hardly re-
alize that to-day is the 25th of Decem-
Der. No ice, no snow, but instead q
soft balmy air. At daylight the Their
mometer indicated 43 degrees above ze-
70, at 8 o'clock SO, at noon 70. We
miss the family Christmastree, but in
stead the evergreen pepper tree with
its dropping limbs, loaded with punches
of red berries, lines the street overflow
cred by the tall eucalyptus. The front
yards of many of the private residences
are ornamented with cypress, trimmed
in manifold shapes, gigantic geraniums,
roses Of many colors, flowers and shrub
berry of endless variety; many in full
bloom, but what comes the nearest to
our northern christmastree, trimmed
with red-cheeked apples, is the orange
tree with its glossy dark-green leaves,
now loaded with golden fruit. The
stores have the usual display of holiday
goods. On christmas-eve the business
streets are crowded with throngs of
people and the vendors of holiday goods
are busy. 1t is a general custom here.
as in most other southern cities, for
people to promenade in the business
streets in the evening, for many have
no time to do so during the day. Stroll
ing down toward the bay in the fore
noon to the wharf of the Coronado
Beach Company, we see the boat club
just starting cut with their new boat,
received day or two ago; they are in
their shirt sleeves and mean business.
One of the pleasure yachts, with par
ty of pleasure seekers on board is pass
ing by. going out to the fishing grounds
in the open ocean. The Coronado
steam ferry-boat crosses the bay every
half hour for the peninsula and ocean
beach, carrying pleasure seekers and
picnic parties to these favorite places of
resort A number of men and boys are
sitting along the wharf fishing for smelt
and mackerel with fair success. Droves
of small herring, containing millions
upon millions are everywhere visible in
the clear water. The U. S. man of war
Rover, doing coast survey duty. lies at
anchor, having come into port yester-
day to give the crew chance to spend
the holidays on land. The Hartford,
Commander Farragut's old flag ship
during the late war, left few days
ago, after a. stay of about week. The
gallant old ship attracted good deal OF
attention and was visited by many dur
ing its stay. Last Sunday its deck and
rooms were crowded by gentlemen and
ladies, including ourself and family, at
tending divine services, on board, in
the forenoon. The ship carries 800 men
all told ut present and does not show
the hard usage it had at Mobile, It's
heavy guns look as though it would be
dangerous business to fool with them,
but like everything else that is getting
old the gallant old Hartford will soon
have to be placed on the retired list,
for ships of that style would stand bu,
little show against the new ironclads
and monitors.
The bay and wharfs are pleasant
places of resort for all new corners
and tourists, presenting to most new
and ever shifting scenery with its small
craft rowing and sailing to and fro and
the stately three-mast sailing vessels, di.
rect from England and Australia, besides
the coast steamers ami lumber and fish.
ing vessels. The bay is large and deer
enough to admit and hold all the ships
that will ever be likely to seek its &C.
commodations and perfect shelter.
Such is San Diego on Christmas day
and on most every other day in the
year, and it is no wonder that the
crowds of tourists and seekers of pleas.
ant homes are coming TO San Diego
when they become acquainted with Its
advantages.
CHAs. G. BRANDT.